Baby carriage



Dec. 27, 1938.

BABY CARRIAGE 1 LARsEN 2,141,539

Filed April 13, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 27, 1938.

L. LARSEN BABY CARRIAGE Filed April 13, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec, 27, 1938. Y LQLARSEN 2,141,539

BABY CARRIAGE Filed April 13, 195e 3 sheets-sheet 5 4,5f embodied in substantially one side of the carriage, wheel frame may be swung from its normal per- 45 PatentedDec. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES A.lTsNT oFFlCE BABY CARRIAGE Lewis Larsen, Menominee, Mich., assigner to Heywood-Wakeeld Company, Gardner, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 13, 1936, Serial No. 74,089 2 Claims. (Cl. 280-39) This invention relates to improvements in baby the invention, illustrated in the accompanying carriages and it consists of the matters hereindrawings, the carriage includes a collapsible and after described and more particularly pointed extensible body which is indicated as a whole at out in the appended claims. I in Fig. 1. The body comprises top and bottom,

One of the objects of the invention is to provide horizontally disposed U shaped frames I I and I2 5 a .baby carriage which may be readily folded or respectively. Each frame which is made of vercollapsed yinto a compact condition and which tically edgewise disposed strap iron, includes side may be Vreadily opened up into an extended cony members I3 and I4 respectively and front end dition for use. connecting members I5 and I5 respectively. The lo Another object of the invention is to provide a top frame is somewhat longer than the bottom 10 baby carriage in which the body may be folded frame and as the front connecting members of or collapsed and the wheels may be swung under both frames are disposed in the same perpendicuthe folded or collapsed body by a forward and lar plane, the rear end of the top frame projects downward movement of the push handle. rearwardly beyond and overhangs the rear end L5 .A further object ofthe invention is to provide of the bottom frame which there curves slightly 15 a baby carriage having a foldable or collapsible lllOWaIdlY- ASSOCalJed With Said frames iS d bOdY body .which includes a coverable foot-well and an fabric I8 of good, strong material capable of adjustable back whereby the body may be adfolding into pleats. This fabric is provided with justed from a sitting posture for the baby occutop and bottom hems to receive the side mempant to a recliningV one, conducive to comfortable bers and front connecting members of both 20 sleeping. frames II and I2. The said fabric extends -around VStill another object of the invention is to proboth sides and the front end only of the body. vide a baby carriage of this kind which is not This leaves the body open at its rear end, which only of a modern appearance, but is indeed rigid in side elevation takes on an upward and rearin its extended condition; which is positively ward inclination. 25 locked against accidental folding when the wheels Associated with the body thus far described iS engage an obstruction and which is relatively a chassis frame which includes a pair of side bars light in weight for easy carrying when folded or |9-l9 at the i011 Said bars are 1150 made 0f collapsed. vertically edgewise disposed strap. iron. Said bars 3 0 The above mentioned objects of the invention are diSPOSed along the inner fae 0f the Side 30 as well as others, together with the advantages members I4 of the bottom frame I2 and extend thereof, will more fullyappear as I proceed with a suitable distance forward of the rear ends my specification. i thereof and are secured thereto as will later ap- In the drawings: pear. 3.5 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the carriage when Secured to and depending from the front end 35 in its extended condition ready for use. of each bar I9 is a bracket 20 bent to form a Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the carriage depending ear 2l which extends in a transverse when in its folded or collapsed condition. Y plane. A bracket 22 is fixed to each bar I9 to- Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View ward its rear ends, preferably by a pair of rivets 4o, through the carriage when in its extended condi- 23. Each bracket is bent to form a depending 40,

tion and illustrates the parts in a position perear 24 which also extends in a transverse plane.

mitting a reclining posture Yfor the baby occupant. The ears 2I-24 of the brackets 2li and 22 asso- I Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view on an ciated with each bar I9 has a wheel frame 25 enlarged scale, showing the structural elements pivoted thereto in such a manner that each y Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the bottom strucpendclllal" POStOn, nWaldly and upwardly under ture -of the carriage body as` the same appears the body. As the'structures of both wheel frames when removed from the body. n are the same, a description of one will suflice for Fig. 6 is a detail vertical sectional view through both. a part of the carriage on an enlarged scale as Each wheel frame 25 which is made from a 50 taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3. piece of strap iron bent into substantially U-V A Fig. 7 is a detail horizontal sectional view shaped form, includes front and rear, normally through a part of the carriage on an enlarged perpendicular endrposts 26--21 and a bottom scale as taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 3. horizontal reach bar 28 connecting the bottom .A Referring now in'detail to that embodiment of ends of said posts. The front post 26 is pivotally 55 connected at 29 to a front bracket ear 2| and includes a bent over ear 30 at the top, adapted to engage the outer face of the bracket 20 as a stop which limits the outward swing of the post and holds it in a perpendicular position. The rear post 2l is pivotally connected at 3| to a rear bracket ear 24 and includes a bent over ear 32 adapted to engage the 'outer face of the bracket 22, as a stop which limits the outward swing of the post and holds it in a perpendicular position.

In each corner of the wheel frame as provided by the junction of the posts and reach bar is fixed a substantially L-shaped bracket 33. Each bracket non-rotatively connes in its respective corner, an outwardly extending stub axle 33a upon which a wheel 34 is journalled. A wire spoked wheel is preferred. Extending between the posts of each frame 25 is a connecting bar 35. This bar is disposed to the inside of the wheel frame, a short distance above the brackets 33. To add rigidity to the wheel frame it may be advisable to provide an inclined brace 36 between the front post 26 and a suitable point on the reach bar. Associated with the rear end of said connecting bar and spaced inwardly therefrom is a spring finger 31 which coacts with said end of said bar in forming a bifurcation 38 as best shown in Fig. 7, the purpose of which will appear later.

It is apparent that each wheel frame may swing inwardly and upwardly under the body about the pivotal connections 29 and 3l for the posts 26 and 27 with the brackets 29 and 22. Means are provided for holding or locking said frames against such movement and such means is as follows:

39 indicates a U-shaped wheel frame locking member which includes arms 46-45 and a connecting member 4I. The top end of each arm has a pivotal connection with the associated bar I9. This pivotal connection is provided by one of the rivets 23 which secure the associated rear bracketY 22 to its bar. The arms llll-4I) are spaced apart to accord with the spacing between the bifurcations 38 of both wheel-frames when the wheel frames 25 are in their perpendicular positions. Thus when the member 39 is swung about its pivots, downwardly and forwardly, the arms 49-40 will enter their respective bifurcations or forks. The member 39 will then act to hold the bifurcations or forks in spaced apart relation so as to lock the wheel frames 25 in their up-right positions. When the member 39 is swung upwardly and rearwardly, out of en gagement with said bifurcations or forks, this permits said wheel frames to swing upwardly and inwardly so that the wheel frames fold up under the body. f y Y On the reach bar 28 of one of the wheel frames, is pivoted a swingable arm 42. One end of Vsaid arm is engaged by the top end part fis of a foot actuated lever 44. The top end part of said lever is pivoted at one end to the bar 35 and a springV is disposed between said lever arm and the pivot The other end of said actuation of the lever connection for said lever. arm 42 is so formed that Vin one instance, will swing the last mentioned end of the lever into a position to be engaged by one of the spokes of one of the wheels to act asa stop or brake therefor. When the lever is actuated in the other directionathis vactuates the arm to withdraw the last mentioned end of the arm out of the plane of the spokes of the wheel so that the wheel is free to turn on its stub axle.

About midway between the ends of each side rounded corners.

member of the body top frame, brackets 45 are secured as by a pair of rivets 46. These brackets operatively carry a foldable hood 41. As the structure of the hood forms no part of the present invention it is not believed necessary to illustrate or describe the same in detail.

The body structure before described is collapsible of foldable. In this respect, at each side of the rear end of the body is certain linkage arrangement connected to a push handle. The push handle forms a part of the linkage whereby the body may be collapsed, the top frame thereof moving toward the bottom frame. Associated with said linkage, is means operating upon Athe wheel frames to make them fold in under the body as the body collapses and which wheel frames swing into a perpendicular position when the body is returned or opened into its extended condition. Y i

The linkage structure mentioned is the same on one side of the frame as the other so a description of the structure on one side will sulce for both.

. At the rear end of the carriage is the usual push handle indicated as a whole at 43. This handle which is substantially of an inverted U- shape includes side arms 49 and a top connecting member 59. The bottom end of each arm of the handle is pivoted as at I to the rear end of the side members I4 .of the body bottom'frame I2. The side arms 49-49 take on the same inclination as the rear end of the body fabric I8.

At each side of the body and toward the rear end thereof is a suitable linkage arrangement which in one position, holds the body in its extended condition for use but which may be manipulated to permit the collapsing or folding of the top frame II down toward the bottom frame I2, with the body fabric I8 vfolding in be-` tween said frames Vas pleats.

52-53 indicate the top and bottom links of a pair of folding links which when the body is in its extended position, extend at an angle to the perpendicular in substantially the same inclination as the side arms of the push handle. The top end of the top link is pivotally Yconnected to the side member I3 ofthe body top frame II and preferably one of the rivets 45 employed in attaching the hood bracket 4'! thereto, is used for this purpose. The bottom link is pivotally connected at a point between its ends to the side member I4 of the body bottom frame I2 as by a pin 54. The links 52-53 are pivotally connected together'at their meeting 4ends by a pin 55. The said bottom links are formed by the upper ends of the side arms '56 of a U-shaped wheel frame actuating member 5l, the bottom ends of said arms being connected by a cross bar 58 through The side arms 56 pass the bars 35V on the outside thereof and the connecting member 58 is arranged beneath said bars. Each side arm 56 is Vconnected by a link 59 with the corresponding arm il!) of the U-shaped wheel frame locking member 39. d

The front end of a bar 69 is connected to the meeting ends of the links, 5,2-53 by the same pin 55 which connects the meeting ends of said links together. When the body is in its Vextended position, this bar is horizontallyV disposed and its rear end is pivotally connected to .the side arm 49 of the push handle by pin ESI.V This same pin is employed to connect-the bottom end of a third link 62 to the side `handle arm, the top end of said link being pivotallyrconnected by a pin 63, to the rear end of .the sideA member I3 of the body top frame. This third link which has substantially the same inclination as the links 52-53, coa'cts with the link 52, the bar Bil and lthe side member i3 of the top frame il in forming a parallel motion arrangement. The link carries a clip 54 to act as a stop for the side arm 49 of the push handle. f

About midway between its ends, the bar 56 is provided with a depending bracket 65. A folding brace 65 with a rule joint 51 therein is pivotally connected at its bottom end to said bracket as at 68V and is pivotally connected at its top end to the push handle side arm 4S at apoint above the top of the body.

Y In the plane of the bar' and between the same andthe body fabric I8 is a link actuating bar B9. The front end of said bar has a down turned end which is pivotally connected as at 10 to the link53 at a point a short distance below the pin 55. The rear end of said bar 69 is turned upwardly to be pivotally connected to the third link 62 at a point between its ends by a pin 1l. By the provision of the bent ends for said link actuating bar, the same may be better concealed from view behind the bar 50 although if said link extendedin a straight line between the pins 1B and 1l, it would function in the same manner.

At Vthe rear end of the Ybottom of the body and occupying substantially the rear half thereof is a seat 12 which includes a rigid base and suitable' padding or upholstery. The seat base has transverse straps 13 and 14 secured to the underside of its front andrear ends and each strap has turned down ears which engage the inner face and are secured'to the bars i9 before mentioned. Between the ends of the rear bar and the seat base are provided L-shaped brackets each including an upstanding segmental or arcuate portion 15 with a plurality of notches 16. in its edges. Concentric with the arcuate portion of each bracket and extending inwardly therefrom is a headed stud 11, the purpose of which will soon appear.

18 indicates the back rest member which includes a rigid base and suitable upholstery. Se-

cured to the rear face of the back rest member is a pair of top and bottom transverse straps 19, the ends of which are bent to form forwardly extending ears 8l). These ears are secured to arms 8|. The bottom end of each arm has a longitudinal slot 82 therein, through which the bracket studs 11 extend to provide the axis about which the arms 8l and the back rest 18 carried thereby, may be swung from one position to the other.

A spring 83 is provided on the inside of the bottom end of each arm and this spring is securedat one end to the stud 11 and at its other end to a pin 84 on said arm. Said spring normally acts to pull the arms 8l downwardly. Each arm carries a headed stud 85 o-n the outside thereof for engagement in the desired ynotch 16 in the associated bracket part 15. By exerting an upward pull on the back rest, the studs 85 may be disengaged from one notch 15 in both brackets so that the back rest may be swung into the desired angular position as determined by a certain other notch to give the desired inclination to the back rest. As the springs 83 act to pull the back rest supporting arms downwardly, the back rest is releasably locked in the adjusted position. With the structure shown, they back rest may be swung from substantially an upright position into substantially a horizontal position wherein it forms a rear extension for the seat vor transp-ort in an automobile.

when it is desired that the baby occupant assume a reclining position for sleeping.

Secured to the ears of the cross member 13 and extending forwardly from the front of the seat to the front of the body, is a U-shaped frame 85 of strap iron. This frame is secured to the front member I5 of the body bottom frame l2 as by the rivet 81 appearing in Fig. 3. Secured to this frame and to the front strap of the seat is a foot well dening fabric 81. This fabric is provided at the top with a hem which encloses the said Uv frame and cross member 13. in the bottom of said well fabric is a pocket 88 in which is received a foot board 89 which gives a relatively flat bottom for the well.

About midway between the side members of the U frame 85, a bail 95 is pivoted on studs Sl. This bail includes side arms 92 and a cross member 93 and to said cross member is secured one end of a well cover 94. The other end of said cover is secured between the front end of the seat and the well fabric and cross member 13. When the bail is swung rearwardly toward the seat, the cover fabric folds up to expose or uncover the well. When the bail is swung forwardly, its cross member 93 rests upon the front cross member of the U frame so that the fabric covers the well. In this position it forms a forward extension for the seat when it is desired that the baby occupant assume a position for sleeping.

Assume that the carriage is in the extended condition shown in Fig. 1 and it is desired to fold or collapse the same into a condition fo-r storage The hood 41 is first folded down or collapsed in the usual manner.

The braces 55 are then broken at their joints for folding after which the handle 48 as a whole is swung downwardly and forwardly toward the front end of the body. This through the bars Ell swings the links 52 forwardly and upwardly and swings the link parts 53 of the arms 5'6 of the wheel frame actuating member 51 forwardly and downwardly. The bottom arms 55 of said member 51 swings upwardly and rearwardly and through the bars 59 swing the wheel frame locking arms 39 rearwardly and upwardly out of engagement with the forks or bifurcations 38 at the rear end of the bars 35. This releases the wheel frames from vtheir normally locked upright condition. VIn the further movement of the handle 48 downwardly and forwardly, the linkage causes the body to collapse and during this collapsing movement, the rounded corners of the member 51v engage the bars 35 and causes the wheel frames to swing inwardly under the collapsed body. As said wheel frames thus swing under the body, the foot well collapses upwardly to accommodate the front ends of the wheel frame. The parts are then in the position shown in FigjZ.

To open the carriage into its extended condition for use, the cross bar 50 of the handle is grasped and the handle is swung upwardly and rearwardly.

In this movement of the handle, the braces 65 tend to straighten out and through the bars 5B,

open up the linkage to extend the body. At this time, the rounded corners of the U-shaped meinber 51 engage the reach bars 28 of the wheel frames and operate to swing them 'outwardly and downwardly into a perpendicular position.

' During the time the wheel frames approach this condition, the U-shaped member 39 swings downwardly and forwardly and so soon as the wheel frames approach said perpendicular position, the

a substantially straight position.

side arms 40 of said U-shaped member enter the bifurcations or forks 38 and lock the wheel frames in the upright condition.

About this time, the linkage for the body has extended the body and the side arms 49 of the handle 48 have approached their stops E4 on the links 62. The braces 66 at this time approach The operator now presses downwardly on the rule joint of the braces to swing them through and beyond the straight line condition as limited by the rule joints therein. The hood may now be opened up and the carriage is now in a condition for use.

It is to be noted that by a movement of the handle in one direction, the body is folded o-r co1- lapsed and the wheel frames are first unlocked and then swung inwardly into a collapsed condition under the body. A movement of the handle in the other direction not only serves to extend the body but also to swing the Wheel frames into their upright position and then lock them in that position.

While in describing the invention, I have referred in detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the various parts thereof, the same is to be considered only in the illustrative sense so that I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. A baby carriage embodying therein a collapsible body including rigid top and bottom frames and a foldable fabric therebetween, a wheel frame at each side of the body and connected to the bottom frame thereof for a swinging movement from an upright body supporting position toa folded position beneath said body, a push handle pivotally connected to the bottom frame for a swinging movement into and out of an operative position, front and rear sets of foldable links between the top and bottom frames of the body, a bar connecting the said sets oflinkage, and operatively connected to the push handle, and means connected to said linkage and engaged with the wheel frame and operative when said .linkage collapses the body to swing said wheel frames into a folded position beneath the body.

2. A baby carriage embodying therein a collapsible body including rigid Vtop and bottom frames and a foldable fabric therebetween, a wheel frame at each side of the body and connected to the bottom frame thereof for a swing ing movement from an upright body supporting position to a folded position beneath said body, a push handle pivotally connected to the bottom frame for a swinging movement into and out of an operative position, front and rear sets of foldable links between the top and bottom frames of the body, a bar connecting the said sets of linkage, and operatively connected to the push handle, means carriedv by said bottom frame and adapted for engagement with both wheel frames for locking the latterV in their upright body supporting position, and means connected to said linkage and operative as the same collapses the body to release said locking means and to cause said wheelrframes to swing into a folded position beneath the body.

LEWIS LARSEN. 

